Epoprostenol (Systemic)

Brand Names : Flolan, Prostacyclin, PGI 2, PGX

Category

• Antihypertensive (pulmonary)
• vasodilator

Description

Epoprostenol (e-poe-PROST-en-ole) belongs to a group of agents called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins occur naturally in the body and are involved in many biological functions. Epoprostenol is used to treat the symptoms of primary pulmonary hypertension, or the high blood pressure that occurs in the main artery that carries blood from the right side of the heart (the ventricle) to the lungs. When the smaller blood vessels in the lungs become more resistant to blood flow, the right ventricle must work harder to pump enough blood through the lungs. Epoprostenol works by relaxing blood vessels and increasing the supply of blood to the lungs, reducing the workload of the heart.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form(s):

Parenteral
• Injection (U.S. and Canada)

Brand Names

Some commonly used brand names are:

In the U.S. -

• Flolan

In Canada -

• Flolan

Other commonly used names are Prostacyclin , PGI ₂ , and PGX .